SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
FanDuel Sportsbook Director John Sheeran Talks Player Props, Home-Field Advantage, Latency, More
As each new sports betting handle and revenue report has affirmed, FanDuel Sportsbook has become a national sportsbook juggernaut, leading several states in overall popularity (New Jersey) while on the podium in all others. As of mid-November, FD Sportsbook is live online or in sportsbook lounge-form in nine states, having joined the Tennessee cyberspace most recently on Nov. 1 as part of a shotgun launch of four sportsbooks.
Coinciding with FanDuel’s expanding U.S. footprint, the shop’s betting handle has exploded: In just one mid-sized jurisdiction alone in October, FanDuel handled $63.6 million for the month in Indiana. The person directing the massive action in the U.S. is John Sheeran, who hails from Ireland where he spent seven years as the international horse-racing lead for FanDuel’s corporate owner Paddy Power Betfair (now part of Flutter Entertainment plc), before moving to the states in February 2019.
Full story here.
Sports Betting Smorgasbord: Masters Sunday, NFL Sunday One In Same
U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau is favored to win The Masters this week, and he’ll debut his shiny new sponsorship deal with DraftKings at the first November edition of the famed golf major. The tournament starts today and runs through Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club. But if DeChambeau is playing on Sunday, he — like every other golfer who makes the cut — will find himself in a situation unlike any other.
For the first time in the 84-year history of The Masters, the final two days will be played against college football on Saturday, and the NFL on Sunday.
Most sports do what they can to avoid going head-to-head with the NFL, but sports betting operators say The Masters is always among the most-bet events of the year, and like bettors, they are not really sure what to expect on Sunday.
Full story here.
Canada Getting Closer To Allowing Online Sportsbooks And Single-Game Betting
Canada – you know, the people who brought you “Schitt’s Creek” – might be on track to setting up an online gambling system similar to the way numerous American states have set up their business models.
And not only is this big news for Canada, but it’s also impactful for the Toronto-based theScore – which has online sportsbooks in New Jersey, Colorado, and Indiana – as well as the potential of Canadian sports betting dollars making their way to Michigan casinos.
As far as the Canada sports betting situation goes, it’s a two-pronged affair, with a nationwide bill that would allow single-game bets in Canada – this is the third attempt at such legislation – and, perhaps more importantly, an Ontario bill that would allow independent operators such as theScore to accept wagers.
As it stands now, Canadian law only allows two-leg or more parlay betting, and only through the government-run system.
Full story here.
NCAA Speaks Up On Its Sports Betting Sentiments
While four professional sports leagues and their members have signed numerous partnership deals with various sports betting companies over the past 2 1/2 years, the fifth losing plaintiff in the New Jersey sports betting saga – the NCAA – has been mostly hands-off.
Beyond that, there has been confusion in the U.S. gaming industry confusion about the NCAA’s philosophy on gambling in the wake of the May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that opened the door for all states to offer full-fledged, Las Vegas-style sports wagering.
But in an interview conducted online by gaming industry advisor Sara Slane at the Sports Betting USA & Investor Summit Thursday, an NCAA official helped clear up some issues.
Full story here.
Wynn Resorts Debuts Wynn Interactive And Aggressive Sports Betting Expansion Plans
While the initial pack of horses has long left the barn after the Supreme Court overturned the federal ban on sports wagering outside Nevada in 2018, other prominent gaming companies remain eager to get into the mix across the U.S. That includes Wynn Resorts, which recently established a new gaming arm targeting the online sports betting and online casino space.
The Nevada-based company announced its partnership with U.K.-based BetBull in its third-quarter earnings call last week, detailing how it intends to nearly double its U.S. market access for gaming by the end of 2021. BetBull is a “product-focused online gaming company” that combines free-to-play games with a social component that allows bettors to gather in chat rooms and “watch” a game together.
Full story here.
Indiana Sets New Record With October Sports Betting Handle Of $230.9M
Any doubts about the high-end staying power of sports betting in Indiana were put to rest Tuesday when the Indiana Gaming Commission reported a record handle of $230.9 million for the month of October.
It was the second consecutive month the Hoosier State cleared the $200 million benchmark, having posted a handle of $207.4 million in September. That was aided by a convergence of all four professional sports being played simultaneously as games were rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the continued instant availability of mobile sports wagering and the popularity of football in October were the primary drivers for setting an all-time high for a second straight month.
Full story here.
